Dance With Me
by 07654
Summary: It's only been a little under a year since she arrived at court, but Lady Kenna has to think hard to remember what her home looked like.


Exploring the character of Kenna for a change, hope you enjoy!

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It's only been a little under a year since she arrived at court, but Lady Kenna has to think hard to remember what her home looked like. When she was young, a future in France seemed like an exciting one. A future of luxury and parties and handsome noble men who would tell her she was pretty and buy her expensive gifts. A future of possibility and prosperity. Now she was here she knew that the grand dresses, although beautiful, pinched her ribs and hurt her stomach, the castle was cold and lonely and parties were long, dull affairs that required her to dance with old men who smelt of wine and held her a little too close. She wanted nothing more than to return to Scotland, to be with her sisters and play in the fields. There was no danger there, no threat or fear. There was no target on her back. She could flirt carelessly with the local boys, before her reputation was always at the forefront of her mind. Before the king ruined her, before her life was miserable.

Henry is still sending various nobles her way, all of them very rich yet each one creepier and older than the last. She would eat with them, walk with them and dance with them. They would talk about their businesses and she would try not to fall asleep. They would grasp her waist tightly and she would bite her cheeks in indignation. The lavish robes and jewellery they wore didn't quite make up for their balding heads, bad breath and paunched stomachs. She had realised that reputation and youth don't go hand in hand as her dreams of a handsome husband who would love her quickly diminished.

The ballroom in which she now stood was vast and golden. The large crowd of couples circling in time to the music made the air hot and dense, the bright lights glaring from gleaming ornaments making her head ache. She could see the King sitting at his place on the royal table, his eyes lit with a mix of desire and insanity, making her wish her dress covered more of her body. It made her skin crawl, to think she ever let him near her, that she ever thought he could provide her with the love and affection she craved. Head spinning, the girl made her way towards the corner of the room, settling herself on a low windowsill in the shadows. She let the cool night air breathe across her pink cheeks and, drawing a large sip from her wine, observed the room from her new position.

Her eyes were instantly drawn to the royal couple, as they so often were these days. The young, blonde prince with his hands laced tightly together with his Queen's, their foreheads so close they almost touched. Completely improper of course, but few seemed to notice them. Those who did were so used to their intimacy they barely minded. They were rarely apart these days, even at larger events that required more formality, they always stood closer than any couple she had ever witnessed before. She felt almost voyeuristic as she saw him lean down to kiss her, settling for her cheek when she remembered where they were standing and turned her head away, laughing in embarrassment. She still couldn't bear their closeness, despite it being a regular sight on her routes around the castle. In the summer the main lawn was rarely safe, the 'picnics' the two of them took more than often ended with the food forgotten and his mouth down her neck and across her collar bones. On one particularly mortifying occasion she had stopped in her tracks as she turned to see them locked in a passionate kiss, Mary's hands pulling at Francis's hair and his tightly encircling her waist, lifting her tiny frame from the floor to meet his mouth. He had already begun unlacing her corset when they stumbled through their chamber door. She was too infatuated to even notice her friends these days, Kenna couldn't remember the last time they had even spoken past light small talk at meal times.

Kenna didn't mean for the dark resentment to start stirring inside her. It wasn't Mary's fault that she had a husband who loved her. It wasn't her fault she had someone to share her problems with and go back to at the end of the day. But she did, and it sparked something inside of her. Greer was fine for talking too, but it was never long before the conversation circled around to her imminent marriage to Castleroy and Lola's constant bed rest meant she was rarely in the mood for emotional support. So Kenna found herself drifting through corridors, avoiding the King and all too often intruding on Francis and Mary beneath various arches and doorways, each time adding to the fire of jealousy that threatened to consume her.

A movement in front of her pulled her from her daydream just in time to see Francis gently guide Mary into the crowd as the music changed to a dreamy melody of harps and strings. Suddenly her vision was cut off and she flinched as someone sat down next to her.

''Not in the mood for dancing?'' Asked Bash, smirking at her and leaning his head against the wall.

She turned to him and the harshness in her stare slightly softened as her brown eyes met his green ones. ''Depends who's asking.''

He stood slowly and bowed over dramatically, back straight and hand reaching for one of hers, ''Dance with me, my Lady. I'm sure sitting alone in corners wasn't what you dreamed of before you came to court.''

Rolling her eyes to cover the pink that began to creep across her cheek she took his hand and rose from her seat.


End file.
